According to municipal commissioner, RP
Singh, the plastic recycler will melt the poly bags and plastic wastes.
The melted product can be used to make a number of articles. The best
use of the melted plastic will be in the construction of roads. The
plastic coated concrete when exposed to rains does not get damage and
last long. Such roads can survive for more than six years without any
damage caused by rains, he said.”Presently the plan is being discussed
with the engineers who are interested to install the plant in the city.
The land for the plant will be provided by VMC. Once operational, the
melted plastic can also be purchased by industrialists, entrepreneurs
and workshops and anyone who need recycled plastic for making various
other plastic articles,” he added further.

On the other hand
the cheap poly bags are being circulated fearlessly in markets despite
the ban imposed by VMC. In fact the Vishwanath gullie and areas of
ghats, which were identified as priority area by VMC in controlling the
circulation of poly bags are witnessing rampant use of poly bags by
local, shopkeepers and even devotees who are coming in large numbers to
the city to offer prayers at Kashi Vishwanath temple after attending
Maha Kumbh in Allahabad. Interestingly, most of the shopkeepers and
vendors selling flowers, devotional articles and edibles are not aware
of any kind of ban imposed on plastic bags.

“The customer do
not bring their own bags, moreover once the customer takes away the
item, the plastic bag also goes with him, hence the area here is not
littered with plastic,” wondered Babloo, a vendor selling house hold
accessories on Dashaswamedh road. At the same time, there are many shops
on the stairs of Dashaswamedh ghat, which are aware of the ban but they
are keeping the poly bags and supplying when demanded by customers.
Manoj, a shopkeeper selling devotional articles at Sheetla ghat said,”If
we do not provide plastic bags the customer goes away, therefore, we
have to cater them in such cases.”

On the other hand, according
to Singh, the plastic bags are entirely banned in Vishwanath gullie
premises. The announcements are being made constantly. However, the ban
is yet to be implemented strongly in other areas. Recently nine people
were caught circulating poly bags near ghats. VMC is mulling ways to
enforce the proper implementation of the ban imposed on plastic bags.

VMC to install dustbins at ghats: In view of keeping the ghats clean
and clutter free, Varanasi Municipal Corporation (VMC) is going to
install fixed dust bins at all the 84 ghats of the city.

While
talking to TOI, municipal commissioner, RP Singh said that the orders
for the dust bins have already been done. While each ghat will have one
dust bin, as many as four dust bins will be installed at crowded ghats
like Dashaswamedh ghat, Sheetla ghat, Rajendra Prasad ghat, Manikarnika
ghat, Panchganga ghat, Asi ghat and others. According to Singh, the dust
bins will be balanced on a stand and can be rotated to empty the load.
The work will start in March end.